Bedford Regional Urology

Bedford Regional Urology offers those who suffer from overactive bladder (OAB), including urinary incontinence, urinary frequency, and urinary retention, a variety of treatment options, including Medtronic’s innovative Bladder InterStim™ II System.

What Is the Interstim II System?

The InterStim™ II System is a medical-grade implant designed to deliver controlled electrical stimulation to the sacral nerve. This is believed to restore normal communication between the brain and bladder. This sacral neuromodulation system has been proven safe and effective to restore function, significantly improve quality of life for OAB patients, and provide long-term control (as measured at five years.)

About OAB

Approximately 40% of women and 30% of men have symptoms of OAB.

OAB affects a significant part of the U.S. population, resulting in adverse effects on life quality for more than 33 million Americans.

Overactive bladder, or OAB, is a very common condition in which the bladder muscles and nerves that send sensations to the brain malfunction. It may also be caused by weakened pelvic muscles, medications, alcohol, caffeine, infection, estrogen deficiency after menopause, and excess body weight. In some cases, there may be no clearly identifiable reason for these symptoms.

OAB Symptoms Include:

  • Frequent need to urinate both day and night
  • Urgent feeling of needing to urinate
  • Waking up at night to urinate

While most patients with OAB remain dry, many experience urinary incontinence (leakage). One or all of the symptoms, with or without urinary incontinence, can create significant distress. This condition can often be effectively treated with lifestyle changes, medications, and the assistance of your doctor. When conservative treatments fail to provide adequate symptom relief, patients may consider a nerve stimulation treatment for effective, long-term, drug-free relief.

How Can Sacral Nerve Stimulation Help OAB?

The nerves in your bladder alert your brain when it is full. When these signals are miscommunicated or fail to reach the brain, symptoms may occur. Sacral nerve stimulation targets the nerves that control the bladder. The InterStim™ II System is implanted beneath the skin of the upper buttock region. The implant transmits mild electric impulses through a lead wire located just alongside the sacral nerve of the lower back to assist with transmitting messages from the bladder to the brain. This can help reduce wetting episodes and improve bladder control. The InterStim™ II System has a record of dramatically improving the life quality of those with OAB.

Learn More About How Medtronic InterStim™ II System Works

Advantages of the Interstim II System

  • Improved symptom relief backed by scientific evidence
  • Proven safety and demonstrated efficacy
  • Restoration of normal bladder function
  • Increased quality of life
  • Does not require ongoing OAB medications

View Product Performance Reports

What Is the Interstim II System?

The Interstim II System is an innovative treatment option for treating urinary retention and OAB symptoms including urinary frequency, urge incontinence in patients that have failed to realize sufficient relief from, or that have been unable to tolerate, more conservative treatments. The InterStim II neurostimulator system includes an implantable lead unit and a smart touchscreen programming system.
Note: This system is not intended for use in patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy, cancer, and/or urethral stricture.

How the Interstim II System Works

Step 1: The Interstim II implant lead is placed alongside the sacral nerve in the lower back.

Step 2: The removable implant transmits a signal from the bladder to the brain to indicated fullness of the bladder.

Step 3: The Interstim II System treatment provides reliable bladder control by restoring effective communication between the brain and bladder.

What to Expect During the Procedure

During the Interstim II System procedure, the doctor places a small, removable implant and lead alongside the sacral nerve of the lower back. The device is inserted beneath the skin of the upper buttock area. The procedure is normally completed in-office or as an outpatient procedure and usually takes about half an hour; however, you should plan to be at the office for at least four hours.

After an initial basic and/or advanced test to ensure the effectiveness of this type of neurostimulation for your condition, you may then undergo the procedure to implant the Interstim II System.

Your doctor will administer anesthesia to help maximize comfort during the procedure.

The doctor will remove any temporary leads and replace with a long-term lead and connect this lead to the neurostimulator device. These may be implanted in either the upper buttock or abdomen.

Although device implantation cannot guarantee complete resolution of symptoms or a cure, patients who have successfully completed the trial test may reasonably expect similar results following device implantation.

FAQs

Take Control of Your OAB Symptoms

Are you ready to take control of your OAB symptoms?

1. Talk to your doctor to see if you are a candidate for the Interstim II System procedure

2. Coordinate with your Bedford Regional Urology to confirm your insurance coverage

3. Schedule your Interstim II System procedure

4. Enjoy freedom from OAB symptoms!

Learn more at Medtronic.com.